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At the City Ground, Manchester United slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest. This has led to further scrutiny of Erik ten Hag's tactical choices, as the fans have slammed the manager's decision to substitute Kobbie Mainoo at half-time.
The match saw Nicolas Dominguez break the deadlock shortly after the hour mark. Red Devils forward Marcus Rashford found the back of the net in the 78th minute, capitalizing on a glaring mistake from hosts' goalkeeper Matt Turner.
However, Forest quickly restored their lead. Morgan Gibbs-White delivered a moment of brilliance, bending a spectacular shot into the net in the 82nd minute to tip the scales once again in Forest's favor.
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Yet, it was Ten Hag's controversial decision at halftime that sparked the most debate. The United manager opted to replace Kobbie Mainoo with the more experienced Scott McTominay. This tactical switch, happening when the scoreline was still level, did not sit well with the United faithful.
The aftermath of the game saw Ten Hag standing firm in his decision. In his post-match comments, he insisted that the substitution was a tactical move and expressed no regrets (via Sam Luckhurst). However, this staunch defense did little to quell the storm brewing among Manchester United fans.
They took to social media to express their displeasure, questioning Ten Hag's judgment, with some voicing their dismay and some even calling for his sack. One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"Sack him on the spot."
Another wrote:
"Just bin him."
Here is a selection of their tweets:
Some fans showed anger and annoyance:
Others requested his sack:
Mentions of sacking the Dutch coach continued to increase:
Other fans questioned his abilities:
More calls for his sack followed:
Illness kept Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund sidelined against Nottingham Forest
United striker Rasmus Hojlund was notably absent from their recent Premier League encounter against Nottingham Forest. The reason behind this absence was not due to tactical decisions or rest, but an unfortunate bout of illness, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The 20-year-old had recently marked his name on the scoresheet with a maiden Premier League goal during the Boxing Day victory over Aston Villa. His impact was keenly missed at the City Ground, especially in the wake of his recent performances, which have improved Manchester United's scoring abilities.
Hojlund's goal against Aston Villa had been a glimpse of his potential to influence games. This comes after his consistent goalscoring outings in the Champions League, where he managed to notch five.
